Device And Method For Tracking Possession In Basketball

ABSTRACT

A method and device for tracking the team or side entitled to the next possession of a “jump ball” in a basketball game employing a rule of alternating possession. An official, such as a referee, wears an elastic cloth wrist band of the type commonly worn by tennis players. Half of the exposed surface (180 degrees of the 360 degree exposed surface of the wrist band) is colored a first predetermined color or pattern, and the other half (the other 180 degrees of the exposed surface of the wrist band) is colored a second predetermined color or pattern. In a first preferred embodiment, the first and second predetermined colors are white and black. In a second preferred embodiment, the first predetermined color is white, and the second predetermined color consists of alternating black and white stripes coordinated to match the black and white shirt customarily worn by a basketball referee. 
     In the method of tracking possession, the referee initially designates one of the two teams in a basketball game as corresponding to the first predetermined color or pattern, and designates the other team as corresponding to the second predetermined color or pattern. The referee then places the wrist band on his or her wrist, orienting the band by sliding it about the wrist to orient the color or pattern associated with the team entitled to the next possession on the occurrence of the next “jump ball” to face upwardly, on the upper surface of the wrist or forearm. At each “jump ball,” the referee or other official slides the wrist band 180 degrees to display the other color or pattern.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a nonprovisional utility patent application which hereby references and claims the priority of Provisional Application No. 61/080,598 filed Jul. 14, 2008 and entitled Device And Method For Tracking Possession in Basketball.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the game of basketball and more particularly pertains to a device and method for tracking which side or team is entitled to possession of the ball in basketball games where a rule of alternating possession rather than a physical jump for the ball is employed to determine the side or team entitled to obtain possession of a so-called “jump ball.”

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

Applicant is aware of three known methods and associated devices for tracking the team or side entitled to the next possession of a “jump ball” in a basketball game employing a rule of alternating possession. In a first method, an official shifts an elastic band from the left wrist to the right wrist on the occurrence of each “jump ball”, with the left wrist designating one team and the right wrist designating the other team. In a second method, an official shifts a coin between left and right pockets on the occurrence of each “jump ball,” with the left and right pockets designating respective opposite teams. In a third method, an electronic scoreboard includes indicia designating a possession arrow that indicates the scoring basket of the team entitled to possession. A game official operates a control to change the direction of the possession arrow upon the occurrence of each “jump ball.” In conventional organized basketball games involving teams composed of children between the ages of 8 through 12, an electronic score board is used, but the possession arrow feature of the scoreboard is not employed. In basketball games involving participants in the age ranges from 7^(th) grade through college, the possession arrow feature of the score board is employed.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method and device for tracking the team or side entitled to the next possession of a “jump ball” in a basketball game employing a rule of alternating possession. An official, such as a referee, wears an elastic cloth wrist band of the type commonly worn by tennis players. Half of the exposed surface (180 degrees of the 360 degree exposed surface of the wrist band) is colored a first predetermined color or pattern, and the other half (the other 180 degrees of the exposed surface of the wrist band) is colored a second predetermined color or pattern. In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the first and second predetermined colors are white and black. In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the first predetermined color is white, and the second predetermined color consists of alternating black and white stripes coordinated to match the black and white shirt customarily worn by a basketball referee.

In the method of the present invention, the referee initially designates one of the two teams in a basketball game as corresponding to the first predetermined color or pattern, and designates the other team as corresponding to the second predetermined color or pattern. The referee then places the wrist band on his or her wrist, orienting the band by sliding it about the wrist to orient the color or pattern associated with the team entitled to the next possession on the occurrence of the next “jump ball” to face upwardly, on the upper surface of the wrist or forearm. At each “jump ball,” the referee or other official slides the wrist band 180 degrees to display the other color or pattern.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wrist band according to a first embodiment of the invention worn on the arm of a basketball referee.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wrist band of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wrist band according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 3 thereof, a device and method for tracking possession in basketball embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention will be described. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a wrist band 10 according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention preferably comprises an elastic cloth material of the type conventionally worn by tennis players. The wrist band 10 forms a generally cylindrical hollow tube when worn on the wrist W of the arm A of a basketball referee, as shown in FIG. 1. The wrist band 10 comprises a 360 degree outer surface preferably formed by a first 180 degree portion 12 and a second 180 degree portion 14. The first portion 12 is dyed, printed, or otherwise provided with a first predetermined color or pattern 16. The second portion 14 is dyed, printed, or otherwise provided with a second predetermined color or pattern 18. The first and said colors or patterns are differently configured so as to provide distinctively different visual appearances.

In the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wrist band 10 employs a first color or pattern 16 consisting of a solid white color and a second predetermined color or pattern 18 consisting of a solid color black.

Other visually distinctive colors or patterns may be employed in connection with the present invention. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a wrist band 20 according to a second embodiment of the present invention comprises a 360 degree outer surface preferably formed by a first 180 degree portion 22 and a second 180 degree portion 24. The first portion 22 is dyed, printed, or otherwise provided with a first predetermined color or pattern 26. The second portion 24 is dyed, printed, or otherwise provided with a second predetermined color or pattern 28. The first and said colors or patterns are differently configured so as to provide distinctively different visual appearances.

In the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the wrist band 20 employs a first color or pattern 26 consisting of a solid white color and a second predetermined color or pattern 28 consisting of a alternating black and white stripes.

In use, the present invention provides a method of keeping track of possession in a basketball game employing a rule of alternating possession to determine which of two competing teams is entitled to possession of the ball on the next occurrence of a jump ball. A wrist band 10 or 20 according to the present invention is provided to an official, such as a basketball referee, who wears the wrist band on his or her forearm or wrist as shown in FIG. 1.

The official designates a first of the two competing teams as represented by the first predetermined color or pattern 16 or 28 and designates a second of the two competing teams as represented by the second predetermined color or pattern 18 or 28.

The official wearing the wrist band 10 or 20 manually rotates the wrist band 10 or 20 on each occurrence of a jump ball to selectively display either said first portion 16 or 26 or said second portion 18 or 28 of said wrist band 10 or 20 to indicate which of said two teams is entitled to possession of the basketball.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

1. A device for tracking possession in a basketball game employing an alternating rule of possession to determine which of two competing teams are entitled to possession upon the occurrence of a jump ball, said device comprising: an elastic wrist band having a 360 degree outer surface composed of a first 180 degree half and a second 180 degree half; said first half of said wrist band bearing a first predetermined color or pattern representative of one of said two competing teams; and said second half of said wrist band bearing a second predetermined color or pattern representative of the other of said two competing teams, whereby selective rotation of said wrist band causes display of one of said predetermined colors or patterns to designate the team entitled to the next possession upon the occurrence of a jump ball.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said elastic band comprises cloth.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said first predetermined color or pattern comprises white and the said second predetermined color or pattern comprises black.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said first predetermined color or pattern comprises white and said second predetermined color or pattern comprises alternating black and white stripes.
 5. A wrist band comprising a 360 degree outer surface composed of first and second portions; said first portion comprising a first predetermined color or pattern; and said second portion comprising a second predetermined color or pattern.
 6. The wrist band of claim 5, wherein said wrist band comprises elastic.
 7. The wrist band of claim 5, wherein said wrist band comprises cloth.
 8. The wrist band of claim 7, wherein said wrist band comprises elastic.
 9. The wrist band of claim 5, wherein said first predetermined color or pattern comprises white and the said second predetermined color or pattern comprises black.
 10. The wrist band of claim 5, wherein said first predetermined color or pattern comprises white and said second predetermined color or pattern comprises alternating black and white stripes.
 11. A method of keeping track of possession in a basketball game employing a rule of alternating possession to determine which of two competing teams is entitled to possession of the ball on the next occurrence of a jump ball, said method comprising the steps of: providing a wrist band comprising a 360 degree outer surface composed of first and second portions; providing a first predetermined color or pattern on said first portion of said wrist band; providing a second predetermined color or pattern on said second portion of said wrist band; designating a first of the two competing teams as represented by said first predetermined color or pattern; designating a second of the two competing teams as represented by said second predetermined color or pattern; providing an official for said basketball game; said official wearing said wrist band and rotating said wrist band on each occurrence of a jump ball to selectively display either said first portion or said second portion of said wrist band to indicate which of said two teams is entitled to possession of the basketball.
 12. The wrist band of claim 11, wherein said wrist band comprises elastic.
 13. The wrist band of claim 11, wherein said wrist band comprises cloth.
 14. The wrist band of claim 13, wherein said wrist band comprises elastic.
 15. The wrist band of claim 11, wherein said first predetermined color or pattern comprises white and the said second predetermined color or pattern comprises black.
 16. The wrist band of claim 11, wherein said first predetermined color or pattern comprises white and said second predetermined color or pattern comprises alternating black and white stripes. 